If you want food from some place in the world? We’ve got it.
Want to see a band that’s touring? Pretty strong chance they’re stopping here.
Want to shop at some particular store? It’s probably here or something similar.
Beach? Mountains? Skiing? Desert? Wine country? All within a few hours drive.
Perfect weather 80% of the year? Check.
Yeah it can be expensive and it has its issues, but so does every major city. People who want to shit on it are miserable and want to project that externally. This is a great city and it has everything you just have to be willing to work and make it happen if you want to have the experience.
YES. I just had the thought the other day about how I'll likely live here into my 60's and I'll never run out of new things to do or explore. Also, biggest mistake I see transplants make is immediately flocking to all of the bougiest and most expensive things to do. There's so many cool, free or low cost things to do-- hiking, going to the beaches, just going for a drive through nature outside of town, going to ACTUALLY local restaurants, not just the cool up-and-coming gentrification haunts.
I’ve lived here for 2 years. Felt like vacation the first year. Second year I started having to commute and I suffered for a minute till i got a fast track transponder. Now I’m like. I def could see myself here to be recorded on the 2030 census lmao
Yep, the diversity is tops with me. Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, Historic Filipinotown, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Little Haiti, Boyle Heights, Little Ethiopia…you can do some “world traveling” (and eating) in one metropolitan area.
After all the incidents that have taken place on airplanes recently— plus having a one year old— I have decided I don’t really need to travel after all. I can just explore LA more. lol
> Want to see a band that’s touring? Pretty strong chance they’re stopping here.
>
>
I'm a hobbyist drummer and I felt compelled to up my skills as soon as I moved here just in case I run into someone who knows someone who needs a drummer and, bam, I'm sitting in that night with an opening band.
You never know.
I think because everything always has to be polarizing these days. Its either extreme you have people wanting to project a Gotham version of the city then on the other side group of people want to stick there head in the sand pretend nothing is wrong.
The honest truth is on a grand scale it’s an amazing city there is a reason land is expensive here its extremely desirable place to live. But like any big city we have our issues truthfully its just la is so big one size does not fit all policy. The irony is most people agree what the problem is the polarizing part is the response to it.
But overall traveling so much there is no place like LA
Yep. Nowhere else can I see an Oscar winner in conversation with a legendary filmmaker for $12 on a Friday night, with a movie screening to boot. (Thanks, Vidiots.)
I’m not well-versed in the subtleties of East African cuisine but there used to be a Ugandan restaurant - Jaliz - in like Canoga park or Reseda. It was one woman that seated people in her yard and she coulda boiled a shoe and made it delicious. Sadly Google says it’s permanently closed.
Yes, I went there a couple of times! Then one day I showed up and some new people had moved into the house. Still hoping they reopen somewhere else. It wasn’t quite Tanzanian food but closer than anything else I’ve found :)
Well, I’m no expert. Correct me if I’m wrong but it looks like you can get Tanzanian food in “African” restaurants but none claim exclusively to be Tanzanian. I found this, that features some Tanzanian dishes. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-02-fo-37711-story.html
Could be there are others like that.
What kind of Tanzanian food are you looking for specifically? I wish we had someone doing Tz style bbq here in LA- like Mishkaki! That would be a game changer!
What I love is the diversity. When we go to the playground with my son he plays with kids of all backgrounds. I really wanted him to have the experience of a truly diverse community.
I personally love it here. I live in the South Bay cities so I get my calm walks to the corner store on the daily, and on the weekends I’ll go to concerts and bars all around the area.
I love how there’s a plethora of art from local art walks, galleries, and sellers at flea markets.
I love how there’s pockets of culture all around so you could find amazing Japanese, Persian, Italian, and Ethiopian food all within the same region.
I’m from small town America as well, I personally have loved my time here and I don’t see myself leaving soon.
I am visiting from Chicago, and I am so jealous of you!
I wish I could live here, but my job is back in Chicago.
LA and Miami are the two greatest cities on Earth. I have an unrequited love affair.
Can we trade? I'm from Chicago and had to move here for work and while I like it here, I would kill to take this job back to a place that's walkable/bikeable.
That seems like a really cool job!
We can always go into business together. You be Walter White and I will be Saul Goodman.
And we would have enough money to live wherever we want, LOL
The only art that I go to within the South Bay is the el segundo art walk in August. Other than that I’ll trek up to Pasadena or Hollywood to go to some galleries around there. I was more talking about the general area of LA! :)
No one has said it better than [Werner Herzog](https://laist.com/news/entertainment/werner-herzogs-take-on-los-angeles)
> "What I like about Los Angeles is that it allows everyone to live his or her own lifestyle. Drive around the hills and you find a Moorish castle next to a Swiss chalet sitting beside a house shaped like a UFO. There is a lot of creative energy in Los Angeles not channelled into the film business. Florence and Venice have great surface beauty, but as cities they feel like museums, whereas for me Los Angeles is the city in America with the most substance, even if it’s raw, uncouth and sometimes quite bizarre. Wherever you look is an immense depth, a tumult that resonates with me. New York is more concerned with finance than anything else. It doesn’t create culture, only consumes it; most of what you find in New York comes from elsewhere. Things actually get done in Los Angeles. Look beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and a wild excitement of intense dreams opens up; it has more horizons than any other place. There is a great deal of industry in the city and a real working class; I also appreciate the vibrant presence of the Mexicans. In the last half century every significant cultural and technical trend has emerged from California, including the Free Speech Movement and the acceptance of gays and lesbians as an integral part of a dignified society, computers and the Internet, and—thanks to Hollywood—the collective dreams of the entire world. A fascinating density of things exists there like nowhere else in the world. Muslim fundamentalism is probably the only contemporary mass movement that wasn’t born there. One reason I’m so comfortable in Los Angeles is that Hollywood doesn’t need me and I don’t need Hollywood. I rarely involve myself with industry rituals and am rarely on the red carpet."
Some friends of mine from various European countries said something similar, albeit less lengthy or eloquent, when I asked why they like LA so much. I was like, “Even though it’s dirty and has this hodge podge of weird buildings?” And they’re basically like, “Yeah that’s WHY I like it.”
No place like LA. I never get fomo when I return from vacation because we have everything here. Perfect weather, beaches, mountains, the desert. Met the loml here, have the greatest friends. Yes it’s expensive, crowded and wild at times but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Or even seeing a familiar sight on a driving trip. I drove up to Modesto for a friend's wedding some years ago. I don't think I've ever been so happy as I was when I drove past Magic Mountain and realized I was almost home.
Others have covered most of the big points.
One thing that I really like about LA is the complexity. It's not a city that presents itself easily, like NY of SF. It's a complex collection of small villages and urban centers, each with it's own vibe. It takes a while to understand that, but it also allows LA to be many different cities.
I was born and raised here and I love it. All of my family is here so ofc I have a biased view and sentimentality attached to it. My husband is from north of the Bay area and wasn't too fond of LA when we moved. He's come around to it because there is so much to do. There's never a dearth. And personally, I love all the good weirdos of LA, makes the city fun.
OP: "What do you love about the city of Los Angeles?"
Commenters: "IT FUCKING SUCKS"
I spent 20ish years trying to get out of the South, so to a name a few:
Decent health care.
Not having to wait years on end to see my favorite artists in concert.
Weather.
Experiencing multiple cultures and their amazing foods.
Being around so many people who are creative and passionate about chasing their dreams.
The overall culture of acceptance.
Beach.
Again, and I cannot stress this enough, FOOD.
This is exactly how I feel. I grew up in SoCal and was forced to move to TN. I just know I’m going to spend the next few decades of my life trying to get out of the south but I think I’m stuck for now. I miss EVERYTHING about the West Coast, especially California. There’s just nothing like it and I wish I could go back.
I went to college near LA and hated it for years. I ended up moving to Pasadena and said that I could just avoid LA. Within a few months, I was obsessed with LA. To this day I think it’s the greatest city in the world.
It’s dynamic and there’s always new things going on. I grew up near New York and people there can be very resistant to change and very insistent about how things ought to be done. LA leans into trying new things and doing things differently. You’re close to nature if you need to get away, and there’s so many different kinds of nature nearby. There’s LAX to get anywhere in the world you want to but also pleasant airports for shorter flights. And the food!!! Almost anything you could ask for and like I said, people aren’t afraid to try new things. Fresh local produce year-round, and so many restaurants of different kinds.
I lived there in my late 20s and it was the perfect time. We went to comedy shows after work, walked to happy hour, and attended a lot of cool different kinds of events around the city. There’s art and theater and museums and music. And while there absolutely were pretentious people there were also normal, laidback people. I feel like lots of people in LA are just interested in things, and willing to go out and try stuff out.
I think one of LA’s greatest strengths is that it really has all kinds of people. Most cities have a “type” who thrives there and an overall culture, but LA is really diverse. So, for example, it’s not a religious city but I found a Bible study I was happy with. And it’s not a very intellectual city, but there are enough events and groups of people that intellectuals can thrive. There’s nightclubs for the dancers, sports leagues for the athletes, and art scenes for the artists. That’s true of course for most cities but I really think most people can be happy with some scene in LA.
Some caveats:
Yes, the traffic is bad. That could be really annoying and could effectively end some plans before they’d even begun. But I also drove across town at rush hour all the time. I would just assume it would take me 90 minutes to go 19 miles, so if it only took 75 I’d be thrilled.
LA is hard. Some cities advertise what they’ve got going on and are desperate for your attention and throw all their offerings at you. LA is not like that— it wants you to try. You have to look things up, take notice of details, and ask around. I am typically pretty good at getting a sense of a place, so I was so happy there. Lots of people are miserable because they think there’s nothing to do or not enough going on. But they aren’t keeping their eyes and ears open.
Also, I moved away in 2020. It’s gotten really expensive and I’m sure it’s changed a lot in other ways. It was also getting VERY crowded when I moved, and so the fun things weren’t really as accessible. What’s the point of a cool event if you spend 75% of the time waiting in line, or the point of nature if the line of stop-and-go traffic to get there is five miles long? So the city I loved might be gone, and I’m open to hearing more recent feedback from people who are still there.
I’ve lived here my whole life and can agree that it is SO crowded now. I keep hearing that people are leaving La in masses yet all i see are people moving here and lots of traffic and crowds.
I've lived here for nearly four decades, and I essentially count Pasadena as LA, same as I do Hermosa Beach, Culver City or West Hollywood. LA is a whole made up of neighborhoods and big and little cities. The only thread that defines the LA city portions would appear on a map. I don't feel any sort of cohesive LA identity begin and end when I cross the multitude of borders. The trash bins just look different. I'm originally from NYC and yes, Manhattan is not Queens. But there is a distinct sense of NY identity that unites them, and which drops off when you cross the city line.
Right. It’s more about the county. For example, you can tell when you cross the LA county line into the San Bernardino one. Yikes.
LOL at the trash bins 😆
LA is a very, very, very big city. Its population is larger than 40 different states in the USA. You can find everything here, but you can also get lost in the everything. I've lived here for about 30 years now, and I've probably seen about 15% of what this city has to offer. That being said, I think my favorite thing about LA isn't the city itself, but moreso its proximity to the most amazing wilderness in the USA. Drive West, and you've got beaches and ocean, drive to the East you've got the desert, Joshua Tree, and the San Bernadino mountains, drive to the North you've got the Angeles Forest, the San Gabriel mountains, the Sequoias, and drive to the South you've got... um... Irvine and.. um.. Orange County... on second thought... never drive South.
What state are you in? Honestly I moved a few months ago and not sure it’s gonna last for me, but I don’t have regrets about doing it because otherwise I’d always have wondered. LA is not exactly a typical city. In many ways it kind of feels like being in a collection of small towns and can be isolating if you don’t know anyone. On the other hand, there’s a lot here so it really depends what you are looking for out of the experience.
As a lifelong SoCal resident, I will never ever take for granted that I grew up 15 minutes from the beach that I could use everyday and now I live 15 minutes from trails I can run after work and the weather is nice enough to use them year round
The people are pretty much open minded and beautiful. Not saying everyone is a dime or LA is a perfect place politically (far from it) but fly into plenty of other cities in America and it's a culture shock
And the food is good and you can find something interesting to do pretty much day or night of the week. It's not perfect but it's home!
There's always something to do. It's very diverse here and there is no expectation that you have to live life a certain way. You can be yourself. Honestly I've never lived anywhere else but that's what transplants tell me.
That being said you are going to struggle without a strong support system. I wouldn't move out here unless I had friends and family already or if I was coming out for school or a good job.
The people. Yes, really.
Do you need to wade through tons of social climbers, obnoxious influencers, and people who think they’re talented but actually aren’t? Absolutely. But when you do find the genuine people they’re always willing to connect you to more genuine people, and living in a city that runs on creative industries will always be better than living in a city run by finance bros or the manufacturing industry. I grew up in NYC – 80% of the people I went to high school with became accountants, financial advisors, investors, or finance data analysts. I’d much rather be surrounded by actors, writers, directors and musicians.
I was gonna say this. The people here are fantastic. In particular, I wanna shout out the entertainment industry. The social climbers and wannabe stars are a tiny fraction of the people that make the entertainment industry run, and the vast majority of those other people are normal, down-to-earth folks who are usually really well-educated and excellent to talk to.
I love LA. I’ve been here since I was in grade school.
We have amazing food. And all of it. Anything you can want, you can probably get. My kid gets to experience food from all over the world at any time.
The city has amazing art (Moca, Broad, Getty, so many more..)
Hollywood bowl beats pretty much any music venue, imo. And we get AWESOME acts there.
Want to go camping? Mountains? Beach? Desert? All very reasonably close to to a weekend trip.
LA has everything to offer. Living here is living the dream.
Los Angeles is amazing. I wouldn’t trade growing up there for anything. The food, the vibe, the opportunities, the nature, and plethora of options of everything! But…as you age and priorities change, LA’s cons really get to you. I truly think that’s why so few actually stay there. (Unless you make some serious $$$)
We are literally surrounded by outdoor recreation. Mountains, beaches, deserts. First class restaurants, world renowned musicals, theatre and performers. There are a lot of people, so you have to learn to deal with that, but once you get over the 'shock' of it, you're gonna love it.
Plus..IMO the biggest draw. Our weather is amazing, especially closer to the beaches.
LA is not perfect but there’s much to love here.
The food is off the charts in terms of variety and quality, even on a casual basis. I love that I can see some of the most famous comedians in the world perform on a random Friday night. It’s cliche but LA made me love hiking because there are just so many beautiful places to hike. It’s a quiet luxury being close to nature in a city (not that that’s all of LA).
And I mostly love the small things that make LA weird and unique. The abandoned zoo, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, even Magic Castle are so odd and really speak to LA’s relationship with a bygone era of old hollywood ideals. LA is a city that sometimes rejects its history and sometimes holds onto it in strange ways. I very much love those slices of history when you find them.
It's where I told my then-girlfriend, now-wife, that I loved her. A green bench behind a boba shop in Alhambra. Have a picture of the bench somewhere. :) <3
I love that it’s a world class city. And I mean that in a pretty specific sense: if you’re into music, any artist on tour worth a damn will definitely have a Los Angeles stop. Can’t say the same about SF and SD.
It’s also world class in recreational activities. Hiking, biking, surfing, skating, you got it here. Museums niche and global, you got it here. Pro sports for all fans.
Enough ink has been spilled about the variety and quality of food here.
LA may be one of the most culturally relevant and significant cities in modern human history. If anthropology is of any interest to you, you’ll love LA
I love LA so much, and there is always more. It's getting so expensive for young people to develop their gifts because earning enough to survive takes a lot of time. Be real about life, try not to live paycheck to paycheck. I would start by living on a good transit line. Cars are very expensive to keep up here. You can always rent a car yovexplore the desert and mountain spots. Budgeting creates a weird kind of freedom. I'm old now and much less income but a lot of time. I am really enjoying the summer. There are free concerts in so many places. The crowds are diverse and interesting. The library has great programs, also free. I'm going to a Bollywood dance thing this week. So you can have amazing experiences in LA while you find your tribe.
The most positive thing is that no matter what shitty small town you are from, you are welcome here. It takes a lot of work to find your groove, but it’s worth it. Come and join us.
I love my chosen nooks - LA has a lot of cities to choose from. I love my coffee shops, boba, ice cream and brunch places with outdoor tables. I love how we can just drive to the beaches, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Vegas, Solvang, Yosemite, Sequoia, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, the Redwoods, and even Oregon, Utah and Arizona. There's plenty of hiking to do, lots of national and state parks to visit, lots of scenic drives, so many Meetups around outdoor activities in every city, farmers markets and festivals, museums and gardens to visit. I of course love the weather when it's not too hot. I love the diversity and quality of food here - we have most things.
I love the weather. The Mediterranean/near desert climate is so absolutely perfect for my gardening hobby, which bloomed even more once I moved here. I previously lived in a very hot, very humid, area in the spring and summers, but so cold and sub zero temps in the winters. It was awful for gardening and my mental health. I love being near the beach, but far enough away that I’m close to the mountains as well. Plus, if I do want snow, I don’t have to drive far to get it. On top of that, the amount of concerts, art shows, museums, pop ups, etc. that happen here, are amazing. The opportunities for small businesses to succeed. Look at Verve coffee, outcompeting Starbucks in a lot of LA neighborhoods. I love how many people are willing to just give away plants and plant cuttings because of how well plants grow here. I love watching movies and tv shows filmed here and knowing exactly where it is. I love the variety of food and restaurants. All of these things are slowly starting to outweigh the cons of traffic, crime, etc.
That said, there’s def an adjustment period to traffic. But it is 1000% avoidable if you plan correctly and get a job in your neighborhood from the get go. I lived happily for a year working in my neighborhood but my job didn’t pay enough for me to be able to pay all my bills on top of rent and eating lmao. So I got a job that paid more but I had to start commutting across the city. Afternoon traffic on the 110 is enough to make you consider putting yourself down. Either get fastrack or don’t live/work in a manner that forces you to travel this route in rush hour
LA isn't really a big city. It's big, and it's a city, but the experience here is much more mid sized city because everything is so spread out and car dependent. If you want to experience Big City(tm) life as you probably imagine it based on tv and film in the US you have two choices, NYC or Chicago.
If you come here randomly come with a lot of backup money and a job lined up.
The weather and as someone who loves nature/outdoors there''s so much to do close by with hiking trails and national parks. I can even go skiing and to the beach on the same day. Nowhere else I can do that. Well maybe Seattle but beaches are much worse there lol
21 years since moving from Boston area. It can be overwhelming at first, but once you find your niche things here, there is nothing like it. And as others mentioned, the people, despite how surprising that is to some. They are supportive of the things you want to do, however ambitious. My experience of where I lived was very much, “why you wanna do all that? Just move couches with me.” Not to mention the billion things to do.
Everything. I've been here 33 years and can't imagine not being here. I miss it so much when I'm away and I breathe a sigh of relief everytime I land at LAX. I've spent a lot of time in a lot of cities but to me, this is top 5 in the world.
This might be specific to Hollywood and the cities near-by, but nobody cares what you're wearing or what you look like and almost nobody wears a business suit ever. I've been in business meetings with people wearing pajamas and even shirtless once. You see all sorts of professionals tatted up and with piercings and nobody thinks they're degenerates. You usually don't get treated any different in stores unless you run into someone who just moved here. There's a strong celebration of individual expression.
today i cycled from west hollywood to santa monica pier... then along the beach and up to palisades... absolutely gorgeous. too many people dont utilize the beach and it's a shame.. it's magical every time i go. in the summer i go multiple times a week. the ones who are there are having a blast... everything from the pier and park there to up in malibu and the bike path or just sitting there taking it all in. it's cooler, breezy and awesome.
The outdoors activities. That includes all the nearby national parks.and great weather.
I wonder about people who don't like the outdoors but live in LA. Why? Seems like most of my coworkers don't do much outside.
I love:
The diversity. I interact with people of varied backgrounds on a daily basis.
The food.
We have fantastic restaurants with many ethnicities represented.
Within a ten minute drive I have: two Japanese markets, two Middle Eastern markets, a Brazilian market, a health food store, two Indian markets, a Chinese market, two chain grocery stores.
We have farmers markets every day of the week, every week of the year.
The weather. I live near the ocean. I am never too cold. As LA is relatively arid, when days are hot the nights will be cool.
I am very liberal, so I am around my people.
I have been to 38 of the states of the USA, 3 Mexican states, 5 Canadian provinces and I call LA home.
I like the diversity, not just ethnic, but business/economic diversity of industries, anywhere from high-tech manufacturing to agriculture, diversity in natural topography and the accessibility of both extremes is alluring.
This diversity of business also aids in the relative economic and social stability of the city, even during depressions, compared to towns that say pretty much exist due to a single industry. These towns get decimated when due to reasons that single employer of the majority of the town goes out of business or shuts down in that area. So this diversity of types of business has a buffering effect where in LA the daily life isn’t really affected much.
If you have money, there is endless diversity of fun things you can do, anywhere from typical dining sort of stuff to skydiving, surfing and skiing are within 2-3 hours of each other depending on traffic, endless varieties of ethnic food, and wonderfully executed mashups of them.
Museums… anywhere from wacky Hollywood “Ripley’s” to Automobile to art museums both permanent and temporary of pretty much any genre you can think of, science related including one that is also an active fossil recovery site.
Then there are the rollercoaster parks, various botanical gardens as well as children oriented educational parks.
Another nice thing is that it’s in a central location in Sourhern California. It’s about a 3 hour drive to San Diego from the northern part of LA County, 45 minutes north west and you’re suddenly in a rural area growing fruits and vegetables… this brings up things like the local mom and pop grocery stores. They often carry those locally grown produce. You get that “fresh off the farm” feeling when you pick produce in those stores. Yeah, often the way they’re displayed might not be as neat and shiny as in supermarkets, but in vast majority of cases they’re fresher and tastier, not to mention cheaper than what you can get at supermarkets.
Sorry, got sidetracked there. If you continue north from those farms, another 3 hours will get you to St. Luis Obispo. A nice little town that’s great for weekend getaways. Interesting attractions in the area are the Herst Castle, they have annual things like classic car showcase in nearby Pismo Beach, great food and bars, nice laid back atmosphere, a sprinkling of small museums here and there…
So yeah, there are lots of things to love about LA.
If you can make it past the first year/year and a half of disorientation and loneliness, it’s the greatest city. I grew up in Brooklyn and had so many LA stereotypes ingrained, moved there at 22 didn’t know anyone and was broke. The first year was so lonely, then one day it just dissipated. You can find your perfect city somewhere within the variety of neighborhoods all with distinct cultures. You just need to have some gumption.
I’ve seen so many insane concerts at small venues of big acts for so little. The best food is (comparatively speaking to other major cities) so cheap. Everyday you can hear 20+ languages spoken around you. The landscape is vast and beautiful, traffic is worse than whatever you imagine but you get used to it. I have lived in NY, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago and Paris- LA has so much to offer for free. You can make it your own, choose your own adventure.
Lastly, and this may just be my experience, in most major cities and also in the US in general, past a certain age people tend to only be friends with people of similar age and income.. my friends are all different ages, professions, income levels. That feels rare and is a microcosm and testament to the city.
Mostly the climate and scenery is what attracted me. But LA also has a lot of problems and it’s hella expensive! Not to mention the constant traffic and bad public transportation LA residents have to deal with.
I’d say come out here first and get an idea where you want to live etc. and if you have a decent job you can certainly make that move after all.
The fashion. People get spiffed-up here. Even if it’s just for errands they’ll still do spiff-lite. And there’s so much less fear about not blending in than there is in other parts of the country. People here either actively want to be noticed or they don’t care if they are, and that makes their style much more innovative and personal.
The food. The weather, the accessibility to outdoor activities. Surf, Snowboard, hike huge mountains, deserts, for a huge metropolitan area we have shocking access to fantastic outdoor activities. This is also still a creative city, lot of people doing creative things together.
The view, the weather, the state parks, and my favorite one of them all, the very quiet walks on the beach late at night. Something about that brings so much peace into my soul
Economic diversity, you can get a job in almost any field. Pay tends to be higher than most other cities, so you can have more flex money if you are frugal. Ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity. Generally more open-minded and accepting than other parts of the world. Weather is fantastic if you are near the ocean. I like to be able to visit snow to play, not be stuck living in it. All kinds of different food. Lots of entertainment like sports, museums, concerts, beaches, mountains, etc.
I love the hidden charm of Los Angeles, it also as some of the best food possibly in the world though it’s quite expensive. Great work as well.
LA acks intentional community /is disenfranchised easily without quality public transit across the county and the noise pollution/heavy single use vehicle traffic is awful.
I’d say go for it though. Be aware and mindful of surroundings, not worried just aware. Find indie music events and other festivals to go to for free time.
The diversity
The people. LA natives are the chillest people you'll ever meet.
The quality of food here is unmatched.
It's expensive but not as expensive as Seattle, NYC or San Fran for what you get.
The shitty clout chasing transplants usually get filtered through and move out relatively quickly.
The music scene. Punk, hip hop, indie and everything in between
The culture as a whole.
The scenery. Especially the mountains
The amount of hiking and nature opportunities
People tend to leave you alone and mind their business here.
The public transit isn't great but it's improving and the future looks amazing.
Lots of great spaces for Queer culture.
It’s great city for young people. Tons of young people and things to do. Weather is truly amazing. Great food and nightlife. As far as the rest everyone path is different. Just go for it. Rent a room in a house as close to work as possible. You will have instant social life and network if you choose carefully and won’t spend as much on rent until you figure out the city.
LA is really expensive compared to every other city in the country except SF, NY, Miami, Austin, Seattle..
That being said, when you have money LA is a blast to live in.
But remember because there's so many people with money in LA, if you are average or below average, there's just so many of your peers with money or try harder or w/e that you'll go crazy trying to compare or date in LA without accepting the Ls that come with not having as much money.
"I Love L.A...With a passion. I love Sunset. I love everything about L.A. And I just wanted to drive up and down there and look at the signs and the people. You know, the energy- That's L.A." - Tupac
Pac saying this seriously helped sell the idea of moving and making a living in Los Angeles. Here I am 20 years since I moved here, and I still love it with a passion too. I bought a house here 4 years ago so I’m blessed, and definitely not leaving anytime soon if at all.
LA is really what you make of it. It’s potential and opportunity being presented. Good luck to you!
i moved here from houston in january and there’s a lot to love about it! the hills and mountains are so fascinating for someone like me who grew up on flat terrain. every day i seem to run into a place i’ve seen on tv or heard about in a song or read about in a book. you will never want for shows to see, be it music, or theatre, or weird comedy. and if you get sick of city life, you’re always a stone’s throw away from some kind of peaceful nature walk. it’s also been special for me because one of my dearest friends lives here and i get to share these things with them :)
Museums - there's a ton and always new exhibitions.
Civil rights. I have them here but not back home.
Entertainment. Always something fun and new to do.
People. Other than movie execs, above the line production people and a agents, everyone tries to live together and make the world better.
Endless, endless opportunities for fun and adventure. There is always something to do, something to see, and something to eat. I especially love the convenience of having access to any kind of food (actually good) or even specialty restaurants that might be a treat for others. Not a foodie by any means. Just someone who loves eating with full appreciation
That we’re all so different in our pocket and yet come together constantly for fun and support. It can feel cold and lonely we’re other times full of life. I love it.
If you’re into stuff .. La has a lot of stuff . Furniture , musical instruments, art, whatever . And so much stuff you can get for free. I barely ever have to buy anything new because of vast thrift stores and people constantly throwing out stuff if they’re moving or whatever . Also tons of interesting people. I never get bored or that cabin fever seeing same people all the time feeling I can talk to all different kinds of people every day and learn something new or get a new perspective. People from all around the world live here so there’s many cultural perspectives and also of course their food . Some of the best healthcare in the world so I have always gotten great medical attention if I need it. So many opportunities. You can fail a billion times and there will always be some way to make money. Weather obviously! Hard to be depressed when it’s a beautiful day out almost every day and the vegetation here is pretty you can grow any food pretty much amazing gardens flowers birds wildlife in abundance . Access to sea , access to mountains. I can’t leave LA it is amazing and the community colleges are awesome and not expensive can learn new things any time . Live music any night of the week if wanting to see music. Parties any night of the week if needing something social. Also huge sober community so there’s plenty of people not just drowning themselves in alcohol every weekend like some US communities do.
Genuinely good, kind, empathetic people here on average. Self care, self reflection, therapy, meditation, exercise, healthy eating, healthy lifestyles, and any exercise that you can imagine is encouraged here. You are encouraged to be the best version of yourself here in a way that I’ve never seen and on an enormous scale.
The hustle is real, the struggles are real, and yes there are some bad people here, perhaps some of the worst, and you’ll need to have your eyes open and to be very honest with yourself at all times about where you are in every sense. But if you allow it, LA can help you become a stronger and kinder version of yourself.
It’s completely up to you, for good or ill.
Also, the social services here are probably the best in the USA. My wife was sick for a long time, and between MediCal and LA County, and Medicare, she was able to remain in our home all the way through her hospice.
Our neighbors came out of the woodwork to support us in all sorts of beautiful ways.
The weather ain’t bad either.
Probably the most diverse city in America.
Whatever weird little nerdy thing you’re into, there’s 1000s of people just as obsessed as you are.
Definitely the diversity, both in people and in things to do and see! We’ve got food from pretty much everywhere on earth, we’re a hub of entertainment (and most musicians and tours stop here), and we’ve got sun essentially year round!
I’m still a teenager, but there’s so many things to do here and so many places to go. I also love food, and I’ve grown up eating all sorts of food from so many ethnic groups. And I have so many friends who are different from me; I can learn about different cultures just within my friend group!
And hey, the weather usually stays between 60-90 degrees for most of the year, which is a huge draw.
Like someone else said, yes, there are plenty of bad things about LA (traffic, SO MANY PEOPLE, everything’s expensive) but there’s a lot of good things too. Hope if you end up moving here you find some of the amazing things our city has to offer :)
I love that all my friends are artist and we have a community where we support each other always. Every night one of my friends is doing something they’re involved in which is really refreshing. While this simultaneously can feel like pressure to create it’s ultimately a good thing to experience for me that I wouldn’t have to this extent anywhere else.
28 years next month. No order…..
*Everything’s here, food clothes art science school.
*Beach, people come from around the whole world to be here for a few days and you can literally ride down to the beach and ride on the beach bike path anytime you want.
*cultures, three or four blocks from where you are could be a whole new culture. Chinese Filipino Korean Mexican Honduran El Salvadoran Brazilian white black it doesn’t matter you can go a few blocks and the whole thing can change.
* Nobody really cares about what you think. You can think the worst things. The best things, the right things the wrong things. Nobody really cares that much so it it allows you to choose pick and look at many different choices without any fear of resentment.
Born and raised on the east side and my family has been here for generations, so this is home. That said, I’ve lived in other places but nothing can compare. I love the murals, diverse cultures, west coast hip hop, food—to name a few.
https://preview.redd.it/mdjguq2v4o7d1.png?width=878&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea2cab3f025438a5d4fe760fd14a2128e627a2b0
Hate New York City It's cold and it's damp And all the people dressed like monkeys Let's leave Chicago to the Eskimo That town's a little bit too rugged For you and me, you bad girl
Rollin' down Imperial Highway With a big nasty redhead at my side Santa Ana winds blowin' hot from the north And we was born to ride
Roll down the window, put down the top Crank up the Beach Boys, baby Don't let the music stop We're gonna ride it 'til we just can't ride it no more
Look at that mountain, look at those trees Look at that bum over there, man, he's down on his knees Look at these women Ain't nothin' like 'em nowhere
Century Boulevard, we love it Victory Boulevard, we love it Santa Monica Boulevard, we love it Sixth Street We love L.A.
[1.Weather](http://1.Weather)
2. Live Music
3. Food of all kinds
4. Live Comedy
5. Excellent global connectivity, ie loads of nonstop flight to the world.
6. Beaches and parks
7. Arts and culture
8. Many inclusive communities. Your peeps are here, the challenge is finding them.
If you can, don’t be afraid to venture outside of the LA radius to look for a place to live. Commuting is a common experience when living in LA and you’re going to have to budget living out here. Best of luck on your move!
I am fourth generation Angeleno. There are few other places I’d rather be from. So proud to be from here. That being said, stay where you are. Don’t come here. It’s expensive and will never live up to your fantasy and you will likely fail. Hope this helps.
I won $25k on The Price Is Right.
I worked for one of Schwarzenegger's non-profits and met him twice. He is hilarious.
The weather is such that I can ride my motorcycle all day every day.
The food. Everywhere.
The job pays pretty well so I can ride aforementioned motorcycle.
The house renovations are boosting its value.
Our neighbors are amazing.
Dodgers
The cats don't seem to mind either.
Our orange tree in the backyard.
People love to visit.
Disney Magic Key gets me in Thursday nights.
EV charging infrastructure is growing.
I moved here from a small town when I graduated from high school in 84. I love the anonymity of the city. When you go out, you won’t see the same person twice so there’s a freedom in that. In my small town, it was a fishbowl and everybody knew everybody that sucked. There’s also a lot more opportunity here, a lot of jobs, though the cost of living is high. It may take you a few years to adjust to LA culture but you won’t regret it.
LA has 100s of diverse sections of every economic scale, race, to fashion, to cultural centers to music to eats to events. It’s endless.
LA is hard to define as it means something to everyone differently. It’s layered upon layered. For those who hate it are ones who don’t understand it.
My recommendation is find an area that fits you best, because if you just drop into any spot, it may not speak to you and your experience might be negative. There is literally a spot for anyone if they take the effort to find it. Some don’t.
Nothing. Pretty mountains ( when you can see them) but too damn many people in too small an area. You can't get away from anyone. It's like that Sci-Fi episode when the couple was alone in a room, but there were thousands all around the room at the end.
there’s always something to do! every single day! wine tastings, pottery classes, meetups at hikes, etc. it’s pushed me more out of my comfort zone since i didn’t have the comfort of knowing anything through school or work/structural environments. i’ve wanted to live here since i was a kid, so i’m living my dream!
It’s not just the city itself. It’s the whole greater metropolitan area that includes the surrounding cities.
There’s tons of diversity in terms of food, culture, and geography.
There's something for everyone in LA, you could probably get anything you want or need at any point in time within a 30 minute drive of wherever you are.
This city is so vast that just the city alone has two times more people than the state of Utah. There are many cities within the city. I have lived all over LA. Every neighborhood is different. Mid-Wilshire was a great neighborhood to start with. Everything is here. You just have to find where you fit in.
Mountains, amazing weather in winter (rainy and chilly, but very pretty). We got food choices. 2 Hour drive and you can be either in pure desert, amazing Sierra Nevada mountains, the coast. There's all kinds of opportunity here, just need to plant your root and work your way up.
But it all costs a lot. And there will be traffic. And it will have it's own problems.
If you want food from some place in the world? We’ve got it. Want to see a band that’s touring? Pretty strong chance they’re stopping here. Want to shop at some particular store? It’s probably here or something similar. Beach? Mountains? Skiing? Desert? Wine country? All within a few hours drive. Perfect weather 80% of the year? Check. Yeah it can be expensive and it has its issues, but so does every major city. People who want to shit on it are miserable and want to project that externally. This is a great city and it has everything you just have to be willing to work and make it happen if you want to have the experience.
You want thingamabobs? I’ve got twenty!
But who cares!? No big deal!! I want more!!!
YES. I just had the thought the other day about how I'll likely live here into my 60's and I'll never run out of new things to do or explore. Also, biggest mistake I see transplants make is immediately flocking to all of the bougiest and most expensive things to do. There's so many cool, free or low cost things to do-- hiking, going to the beaches, just going for a drive through nature outside of town, going to ACTUALLY local restaurants, not just the cool up-and-coming gentrification haunts.
I’ve lived here for 2 years. Felt like vacation the first year. Second year I started having to commute and I suffered for a minute till i got a fast track transponder. Now I’m like. I def could see myself here to be recorded on the 2030 census lmao
Yep, the diversity is tops with me. Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, Historic Filipinotown, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Little Haiti, Boyle Heights, Little Ethiopia…you can do some “world traveling” (and eating) in one metropolitan area.
After all the incidents that have taken place on airplanes recently— plus having a one year old— I have decided I don’t really need to travel after all. I can just explore LA more. lol
lol you’re still way more likely to crash/die driving in LA than a plane…
> Want to see a band that’s touring? Pretty strong chance they’re stopping here. > > I'm a hobbyist drummer and I felt compelled to up my skills as soon as I moved here just in case I run into someone who knows someone who needs a drummer and, bam, I'm sitting in that night with an opening band. You never know.
i just wanna say, as a career musician that went to music college for drumming: this literally never happens except in movies buddy
I’m not sure the truth is the point in this case
You completely missed the point. Like, you're gonna need alternate ways to get there now.
If Lana Turner played drums….
Never happed for YOU maybe. Once he gets in known circles, he could get a least a last minute replacement gif; people get sick, flake
I think because everything always has to be polarizing these days. Its either extreme you have people wanting to project a Gotham version of the city then on the other side group of people want to stick there head in the sand pretend nothing is wrong. The honest truth is on a grand scale it’s an amazing city there is a reason land is expensive here its extremely desirable place to live. But like any big city we have our issues truthfully its just la is so big one size does not fit all policy. The irony is most people agree what the problem is the polarizing part is the response to it. But overall traveling so much there is no place like LA
Yep. Nowhere else can I see an Oscar winner in conversation with a legendary filmmaker for $12 on a Friday night, with a movie screening to boot. (Thanks, Vidiots.)
No Tanzanian food :( (But yeah I agree)
I’m not well-versed in the subtleties of East African cuisine but there used to be a Ugandan restaurant - Jaliz - in like Canoga park or Reseda. It was one woman that seated people in her yard and she coulda boiled a shoe and made it delicious. Sadly Google says it’s permanently closed.
Yes, I went there a couple of times! Then one day I showed up and some new people had moved into the house. Still hoping they reopen somewhere else. It wasn’t quite Tanzanian food but closer than anything else I’ve found :)
Several listed on google search.
I see other African food, eg Nigerian, but not Tanzanian. Can you link me one?
Well, I’m no expert. Correct me if I’m wrong but it looks like you can get Tanzanian food in “African” restaurants but none claim exclusively to be Tanzanian. I found this, that features some Tanzanian dishes. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-02-fo-37711-story.html Could be there are others like that.
What kind of Tanzanian food are you looking for specifically? I wish we had someone doing Tz style bbq here in LA- like Mishkaki! That would be a game changer!
Malaysian food access is also in dire straits :(
I know this isn’t the same, but there are some really good Singaporean places in 626! One has even been Michelin Bib gourmand
I’ll have my mom pack me some. Driving out next week!
access to EVERYTHING is a huge reason to love LA
What I love is the diversity. When we go to the playground with my son he plays with kids of all backgrounds. I really wanted him to have the experience of a truly diverse community.
To live n die in LA, baby
It’s the place to be
You gotta be there to know it.
Everybody wanna see…
I personally love it here. I live in the South Bay cities so I get my calm walks to the corner store on the daily, and on the weekends I’ll go to concerts and bars all around the area. I love how there’s a plethora of art from local art walks, galleries, and sellers at flea markets. I love how there’s pockets of culture all around so you could find amazing Japanese, Persian, Italian, and Ethiopian food all within the same region. I’m from small town America as well, I personally have loved my time here and I don’t see myself leaving soon.
I’m Moving to South Bay via Chicago. Excited for all this! I was scared at first but I think I’m going to like it here.
I am visiting from Chicago, and I am so jealous of you! I wish I could live here, but my job is back in Chicago. LA and Miami are the two greatest cities on Earth. I have an unrequited love affair.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m really going to miss Chicago. I’m sure I will visit often. I really loved it there.
South Bay is awesome. Hermosa baby!
Can we trade? I'm from Chicago and had to move here for work and while I like it here, I would kill to take this job back to a place that's walkable/bikeable.
Let's trade. Do you practice law, LOL? What do you do?
I'm a flavor / fragrance chemist but I'm willing to fake it!
That seems like a really cool job! We can always go into business together. You be Walter White and I will be Saul Goodman. And we would have enough money to live wherever we want, LOL
So wholesome, love this.
How do I find more about the plethora of art? I’m also in south bay, haven’t seen a whole lot of that
The only art that I go to within the South Bay is the el segundo art walk in August. Other than that I’ll trek up to Pasadena or Hollywood to go to some galleries around there. I was more talking about the general area of LA! :)
Never heard of the El Segundo art walk! Worth checking out? We will have our baby in a stroller for context
Culver City, Long Beach, and DTLA also have some cool galleries. Check out Thinkspace Gallery to start
No one has said it better than [Werner Herzog](https://laist.com/news/entertainment/werner-herzogs-take-on-los-angeles) > "What I like about Los Angeles is that it allows everyone to live his or her own lifestyle. Drive around the hills and you find a Moorish castle next to a Swiss chalet sitting beside a house shaped like a UFO. There is a lot of creative energy in Los Angeles not channelled into the film business. Florence and Venice have great surface beauty, but as cities they feel like museums, whereas for me Los Angeles is the city in America with the most substance, even if it’s raw, uncouth and sometimes quite bizarre. Wherever you look is an immense depth, a tumult that resonates with me. New York is more concerned with finance than anything else. It doesn’t create culture, only consumes it; most of what you find in New York comes from elsewhere. Things actually get done in Los Angeles. Look beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and a wild excitement of intense dreams opens up; it has more horizons than any other place. There is a great deal of industry in the city and a real working class; I also appreciate the vibrant presence of the Mexicans. In the last half century every significant cultural and technical trend has emerged from California, including the Free Speech Movement and the acceptance of gays and lesbians as an integral part of a dignified society, computers and the Internet, and—thanks to Hollywood—the collective dreams of the entire world. A fascinating density of things exists there like nowhere else in the world. Muslim fundamentalism is probably the only contemporary mass movement that wasn’t born there. One reason I’m so comfortable in Los Angeles is that Hollywood doesn’t need me and I don’t need Hollywood. I rarely involve myself with industry rituals and am rarely on the red carpet."
"raw, uncouth, and sometimes quite bizarre" - indeed.
Some friends of mine from various European countries said something similar, albeit less lengthy or eloquent, when I asked why they like LA so much. I was like, “Even though it’s dirty and has this hodge podge of weird buildings?” And they’re basically like, “Yeah that’s WHY I like it.”
No place like LA. I never get fomo when I return from vacation because we have everything here. Perfect weather, beaches, mountains, the desert. Met the loml here, have the greatest friends. Yes it’s expensive, crowded and wild at times but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I get sick of the traffic sometimes but when I pop out of the clouds coming back into LAX I think “my god I’m glad to be home”
I like to say I'm happy leaving and just as happy coming back. No return trip hangover.
Or even seeing a familiar sight on a driving trip. I drove up to Modesto for a friend's wedding some years ago. I don't think I've ever been so happy as I was when I drove past Magic Mountain and realized I was almost home.
Others have covered most of the big points. One thing that I really like about LA is the complexity. It's not a city that presents itself easily, like NY of SF. It's a complex collection of small villages and urban centers, each with it's own vibe. It takes a while to understand that, but it also allows LA to be many different cities.
I was born and raised here and I love it. All of my family is here so ofc I have a biased view and sentimentality attached to it. My husband is from north of the Bay area and wasn't too fond of LA when we moved. He's come around to it because there is so much to do. There's never a dearth. And personally, I love all the good weirdos of LA, makes the city fun.
OP: "What do you love about the city of Los Angeles?" Commenters: "IT FUCKING SUCKS" I spent 20ish years trying to get out of the South, so to a name a few: Decent health care. Not having to wait years on end to see my favorite artists in concert. Weather. Experiencing multiple cultures and their amazing foods. Being around so many people who are creative and passionate about chasing their dreams. The overall culture of acceptance. Beach. Again, and I cannot stress this enough, FOOD.
This is exactly how I feel. I grew up in SoCal and was forced to move to TN. I just know I’m going to spend the next few decades of my life trying to get out of the south but I think I’m stuck for now. I miss EVERYTHING about the West Coast, especially California. There’s just nothing like it and I wish I could go back.
I went to college near LA and hated it for years. I ended up moving to Pasadena and said that I could just avoid LA. Within a few months, I was obsessed with LA. To this day I think it’s the greatest city in the world. It’s dynamic and there’s always new things going on. I grew up near New York and people there can be very resistant to change and very insistent about how things ought to be done. LA leans into trying new things and doing things differently. You’re close to nature if you need to get away, and there’s so many different kinds of nature nearby. There’s LAX to get anywhere in the world you want to but also pleasant airports for shorter flights. And the food!!! Almost anything you could ask for and like I said, people aren’t afraid to try new things. Fresh local produce year-round, and so many restaurants of different kinds. I lived there in my late 20s and it was the perfect time. We went to comedy shows after work, walked to happy hour, and attended a lot of cool different kinds of events around the city. There’s art and theater and museums and music. And while there absolutely were pretentious people there were also normal, laidback people. I feel like lots of people in LA are just interested in things, and willing to go out and try stuff out. I think one of LA’s greatest strengths is that it really has all kinds of people. Most cities have a “type” who thrives there and an overall culture, but LA is really diverse. So, for example, it’s not a religious city but I found a Bible study I was happy with. And it’s not a very intellectual city, but there are enough events and groups of people that intellectuals can thrive. There’s nightclubs for the dancers, sports leagues for the athletes, and art scenes for the artists. That’s true of course for most cities but I really think most people can be happy with some scene in LA. Some caveats: Yes, the traffic is bad. That could be really annoying and could effectively end some plans before they’d even begun. But I also drove across town at rush hour all the time. I would just assume it would take me 90 minutes to go 19 miles, so if it only took 75 I’d be thrilled. LA is hard. Some cities advertise what they’ve got going on and are desperate for your attention and throw all their offerings at you. LA is not like that— it wants you to try. You have to look things up, take notice of details, and ask around. I am typically pretty good at getting a sense of a place, so I was so happy there. Lots of people are miserable because they think there’s nothing to do or not enough going on. But they aren’t keeping their eyes and ears open. Also, I moved away in 2020. It’s gotten really expensive and I’m sure it’s changed a lot in other ways. It was also getting VERY crowded when I moved, and so the fun things weren’t really as accessible. What’s the point of a cool event if you spend 75% of the time waiting in line, or the point of nature if the line of stop-and-go traffic to get there is five miles long? So the city I loved might be gone, and I’m open to hearing more recent feedback from people who are still there.
I’ve lived here my whole life and can agree that it is SO crowded now. I keep hearing that people are leaving La in masses yet all i see are people moving here and lots of traffic and crowds.
To out of staters, Pasadena counts as L.A. lol Same county anyway
I've lived here for nearly four decades, and I essentially count Pasadena as LA, same as I do Hermosa Beach, Culver City or West Hollywood. LA is a whole made up of neighborhoods and big and little cities. The only thread that defines the LA city portions would appear on a map. I don't feel any sort of cohesive LA identity begin and end when I cross the multitude of borders. The trash bins just look different. I'm originally from NYC and yes, Manhattan is not Queens. But there is a distinct sense of NY identity that unites them, and which drops off when you cross the city line.
Right. It’s more about the county. For example, you can tell when you cross the LA county line into the San Bernardino one. Yikes. LOL at the trash bins 😆
LA is a very, very, very big city. Its population is larger than 40 different states in the USA. You can find everything here, but you can also get lost in the everything. I've lived here for about 30 years now, and I've probably seen about 15% of what this city has to offer. That being said, I think my favorite thing about LA isn't the city itself, but moreso its proximity to the most amazing wilderness in the USA. Drive West, and you've got beaches and ocean, drive to the East you've got the desert, Joshua Tree, and the San Bernadino mountains, drive to the North you've got the Angeles Forest, the San Gabriel mountains, the Sequoias, and drive to the South you've got... um... Irvine and.. um.. Orange County... on second thought... never drive South.
Drive south for better beaches!
As much as it pains me to admit this, Newport and Laguna’s beaches are second to none.
What state are you in? Honestly I moved a few months ago and not sure it’s gonna last for me, but I don’t have regrets about doing it because otherwise I’d always have wondered. LA is not exactly a typical city. In many ways it kind of feels like being in a collection of small towns and can be isolating if you don’t know anyone. On the other hand, there’s a lot here so it really depends what you are looking for out of the experience.
I love the natural features. The islands, the coastline, the hills, the mountains, the desert.
As a lifelong SoCal resident, I will never ever take for granted that I grew up 15 minutes from the beach that I could use everyday and now I live 15 minutes from trails I can run after work and the weather is nice enough to use them year round The people are pretty much open minded and beautiful. Not saying everyone is a dime or LA is a perfect place politically (far from it) but fly into plenty of other cities in America and it's a culture shock And the food is good and you can find something interesting to do pretty much day or night of the week. It's not perfect but it's home!
There's always something to do. It's very diverse here and there is no expectation that you have to live life a certain way. You can be yourself. Honestly I've never lived anywhere else but that's what transplants tell me. That being said you are going to struggle without a strong support system. I wouldn't move out here unless I had friends and family already or if I was coming out for school or a good job.
I agree.
The people. Yes, really. Do you need to wade through tons of social climbers, obnoxious influencers, and people who think they’re talented but actually aren’t? Absolutely. But when you do find the genuine people they’re always willing to connect you to more genuine people, and living in a city that runs on creative industries will always be better than living in a city run by finance bros or the manufacturing industry. I grew up in NYC – 80% of the people I went to high school with became accountants, financial advisors, investors, or finance data analysts. I’d much rather be surrounded by actors, writers, directors and musicians.
I was gonna say this. The people here are fantastic. In particular, I wanna shout out the entertainment industry. The social climbers and wannabe stars are a tiny fraction of the people that make the entertainment industry run, and the vast majority of those other people are normal, down-to-earth folks who are usually really well-educated and excellent to talk to.
I love LA. I’ve been here since I was in grade school. We have amazing food. And all of it. Anything you can want, you can probably get. My kid gets to experience food from all over the world at any time. The city has amazing art (Moca, Broad, Getty, so many more..) Hollywood bowl beats pretty much any music venue, imo. And we get AWESOME acts there. Want to go camping? Mountains? Beach? Desert? All very reasonably close to to a weekend trip. LA has everything to offer. Living here is living the dream.
Los Angeles is amazing. I wouldn’t trade growing up there for anything. The food, the vibe, the opportunities, the nature, and plethora of options of everything! But…as you age and priorities change, LA’s cons really get to you. I truly think that’s why so few actually stay there. (Unless you make some serious $$$)
Being outside year round >>> Beach cities are the move imo
Here for the tacos and a variety of Asian food
We are literally surrounded by outdoor recreation. Mountains, beaches, deserts. First class restaurants, world renowned musicals, theatre and performers. There are a lot of people, so you have to learn to deal with that, but once you get over the 'shock' of it, you're gonna love it. Plus..IMO the biggest draw. Our weather is amazing, especially closer to the beaches.
LA is not perfect but there’s much to love here. The food is off the charts in terms of variety and quality, even on a casual basis. I love that I can see some of the most famous comedians in the world perform on a random Friday night. It’s cliche but LA made me love hiking because there are just so many beautiful places to hike. It’s a quiet luxury being close to nature in a city (not that that’s all of LA). And I mostly love the small things that make LA weird and unique. The abandoned zoo, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, even Magic Castle are so odd and really speak to LA’s relationship with a bygone era of old hollywood ideals. LA is a city that sometimes rejects its history and sometimes holds onto it in strange ways. I very much love those slices of history when you find them.
It's where I told my then-girlfriend, now-wife, that I loved her. A green bench behind a boba shop in Alhambra. Have a picture of the bench somewhere. :) <3
I love that it’s a world class city. And I mean that in a pretty specific sense: if you’re into music, any artist on tour worth a damn will definitely have a Los Angeles stop. Can’t say the same about SF and SD. It’s also world class in recreational activities. Hiking, biking, surfing, skating, you got it here. Museums niche and global, you got it here. Pro sports for all fans. Enough ink has been spilled about the variety and quality of food here. LA may be one of the most culturally relevant and significant cities in modern human history. If anthropology is of any interest to you, you’ll love LA
I love LA so much, and there is always more. It's getting so expensive for young people to develop their gifts because earning enough to survive takes a lot of time. Be real about life, try not to live paycheck to paycheck. I would start by living on a good transit line. Cars are very expensive to keep up here. You can always rent a car yovexplore the desert and mountain spots. Budgeting creates a weird kind of freedom. I'm old now and much less income but a lot of time. I am really enjoying the summer. There are free concerts in so many places. The crowds are diverse and interesting. The library has great programs, also free. I'm going to a Bollywood dance thing this week. So you can have amazing experiences in LA while you find your tribe.
The most positive thing is that no matter what shitty small town you are from, you are welcome here. It takes a lot of work to find your groove, but it’s worth it. Come and join us.
Maybe we need an r/ILoveLA thread?
I love my chosen nooks - LA has a lot of cities to choose from. I love my coffee shops, boba, ice cream and brunch places with outdoor tables. I love how we can just drive to the beaches, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Vegas, Solvang, Yosemite, Sequoia, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, the Redwoods, and even Oregon, Utah and Arizona. There's plenty of hiking to do, lots of national and state parks to visit, lots of scenic drives, so many Meetups around outdoor activities in every city, farmers markets and festivals, museums and gardens to visit. I of course love the weather when it's not too hot. I love the diversity and quality of food here - we have most things.
I love the weather. The Mediterranean/near desert climate is so absolutely perfect for my gardening hobby, which bloomed even more once I moved here. I previously lived in a very hot, very humid, area in the spring and summers, but so cold and sub zero temps in the winters. It was awful for gardening and my mental health. I love being near the beach, but far enough away that I’m close to the mountains as well. Plus, if I do want snow, I don’t have to drive far to get it. On top of that, the amount of concerts, art shows, museums, pop ups, etc. that happen here, are amazing. The opportunities for small businesses to succeed. Look at Verve coffee, outcompeting Starbucks in a lot of LA neighborhoods. I love how many people are willing to just give away plants and plant cuttings because of how well plants grow here. I love watching movies and tv shows filmed here and knowing exactly where it is. I love the variety of food and restaurants. All of these things are slowly starting to outweigh the cons of traffic, crime, etc.
That said, there’s def an adjustment period to traffic. But it is 1000% avoidable if you plan correctly and get a job in your neighborhood from the get go. I lived happily for a year working in my neighborhood but my job didn’t pay enough for me to be able to pay all my bills on top of rent and eating lmao. So I got a job that paid more but I had to start commutting across the city. Afternoon traffic on the 110 is enough to make you consider putting yourself down. Either get fastrack or don’t live/work in a manner that forces you to travel this route in rush hour
The weather.
LA isn't really a big city. It's big, and it's a city, but the experience here is much more mid sized city because everything is so spread out and car dependent. If you want to experience Big City(tm) life as you probably imagine it based on tv and film in the US you have two choices, NYC or Chicago. If you come here randomly come with a lot of backup money and a job lined up.
The weather and as someone who loves nature/outdoors there''s so much to do close by with hiking trails and national parks. I can even go skiing and to the beach on the same day. Nowhere else I can do that. Well maybe Seattle but beaches are much worse there lol
The weather.
Anything is possible AND you NEVER who you’ll meet! 😎❤️🙏🏼🤞🏼
Go from ocean to mountains, from surfing to skiing in one day
21 years since moving from Boston area. It can be overwhelming at first, but once you find your niche things here, there is nothing like it. And as others mentioned, the people, despite how surprising that is to some. They are supportive of the things you want to do, however ambitious. My experience of where I lived was very much, “why you wanna do all that? Just move couches with me.” Not to mention the billion things to do.
Everything. I've been here 33 years and can't imagine not being here. I miss it so much when I'm away and I breathe a sigh of relief everytime I land at LAX. I've spent a lot of time in a lot of cities but to me, this is top 5 in the world.
This might be specific to Hollywood and the cities near-by, but nobody cares what you're wearing or what you look like and almost nobody wears a business suit ever. I've been in business meetings with people wearing pajamas and even shirtless once. You see all sorts of professionals tatted up and with piercings and nobody thinks they're degenerates. You usually don't get treated any different in stores unless you run into someone who just moved here. There's a strong celebration of individual expression.
I’m a native and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I appreciate the diversity, the great food and there’s always something to do here.
today i cycled from west hollywood to santa monica pier... then along the beach and up to palisades... absolutely gorgeous. too many people dont utilize the beach and it's a shame.. it's magical every time i go. in the summer i go multiple times a week. the ones who are there are having a blast... everything from the pier and park there to up in malibu and the bike path or just sitting there taking it all in. it's cooler, breezy and awesome.
The outdoors activities. That includes all the nearby national parks.and great weather. I wonder about people who don't like the outdoors but live in LA. Why? Seems like most of my coworkers don't do much outside.
I love: The diversity. I interact with people of varied backgrounds on a daily basis. The food. We have fantastic restaurants with many ethnicities represented. Within a ten minute drive I have: two Japanese markets, two Middle Eastern markets, a Brazilian market, a health food store, two Indian markets, a Chinese market, two chain grocery stores. We have farmers markets every day of the week, every week of the year. The weather. I live near the ocean. I am never too cold. As LA is relatively arid, when days are hot the nights will be cool. I am very liberal, so I am around my people.
I have been to 38 of the states of the USA, 3 Mexican states, 5 Canadian provinces and I call LA home. I like the diversity, not just ethnic, but business/economic diversity of industries, anywhere from high-tech manufacturing to agriculture, diversity in natural topography and the accessibility of both extremes is alluring. This diversity of business also aids in the relative economic and social stability of the city, even during depressions, compared to towns that say pretty much exist due to a single industry. These towns get decimated when due to reasons that single employer of the majority of the town goes out of business or shuts down in that area. So this diversity of types of business has a buffering effect where in LA the daily life isn’t really affected much. If you have money, there is endless diversity of fun things you can do, anywhere from typical dining sort of stuff to skydiving, surfing and skiing are within 2-3 hours of each other depending on traffic, endless varieties of ethnic food, and wonderfully executed mashups of them. Museums… anywhere from wacky Hollywood “Ripley’s” to Automobile to art museums both permanent and temporary of pretty much any genre you can think of, science related including one that is also an active fossil recovery site. Then there are the rollercoaster parks, various botanical gardens as well as children oriented educational parks. Another nice thing is that it’s in a central location in Sourhern California. It’s about a 3 hour drive to San Diego from the northern part of LA County, 45 minutes north west and you’re suddenly in a rural area growing fruits and vegetables… this brings up things like the local mom and pop grocery stores. They often carry those locally grown produce. You get that “fresh off the farm” feeling when you pick produce in those stores. Yeah, often the way they’re displayed might not be as neat and shiny as in supermarkets, but in vast majority of cases they’re fresher and tastier, not to mention cheaper than what you can get at supermarkets. Sorry, got sidetracked there. If you continue north from those farms, another 3 hours will get you to St. Luis Obispo. A nice little town that’s great for weekend getaways. Interesting attractions in the area are the Herst Castle, they have annual things like classic car showcase in nearby Pismo Beach, great food and bars, nice laid back atmosphere, a sprinkling of small museums here and there… So yeah, there are lots of things to love about LA.
If you can make it past the first year/year and a half of disorientation and loneliness, it’s the greatest city. I grew up in Brooklyn and had so many LA stereotypes ingrained, moved there at 22 didn’t know anyone and was broke. The first year was so lonely, then one day it just dissipated. You can find your perfect city somewhere within the variety of neighborhoods all with distinct cultures. You just need to have some gumption. I’ve seen so many insane concerts at small venues of big acts for so little. The best food is (comparatively speaking to other major cities) so cheap. Everyday you can hear 20+ languages spoken around you. The landscape is vast and beautiful, traffic is worse than whatever you imagine but you get used to it. I have lived in NY, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago and Paris- LA has so much to offer for free. You can make it your own, choose your own adventure. Lastly, and this may just be my experience, in most major cities and also in the US in general, past a certain age people tend to only be friends with people of similar age and income.. my friends are all different ages, professions, income levels. That feels rare and is a microcosm and testament to the city.
Mostly the climate and scenery is what attracted me. But LA also has a lot of problems and it’s hella expensive! Not to mention the constant traffic and bad public transportation LA residents have to deal with. I’d say come out here first and get an idea where you want to live etc. and if you have a decent job you can certainly make that move after all.
The fashion. People get spiffed-up here. Even if it’s just for errands they’ll still do spiff-lite. And there’s so much less fear about not blending in than there is in other parts of the country. People here either actively want to be noticed or they don’t care if they are, and that makes their style much more innovative and personal.
Better Korean food than in Korea
The food. The vibe. The familiarity. Despite me not living there anymore, it was I’ll always be home.
i can walk to a trivia, karaoke, ball game, and 100" restaurants every night of the week
Always something free to little cost to do
The food. The weather, the accessibility to outdoor activities. Surf, Snowboard, hike huge mountains, deserts, for a huge metropolitan area we have shocking access to fantastic outdoor activities. This is also still a creative city, lot of people doing creative things together.
The view, the weather, the state parks, and my favorite one of them all, the very quiet walks on the beach late at night. Something about that brings so much peace into my soul
Economic diversity, you can get a job in almost any field. Pay tends to be higher than most other cities, so you can have more flex money if you are frugal. Ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity. Generally more open-minded and accepting than other parts of the world. Weather is fantastic if you are near the ocean. I like to be able to visit snow to play, not be stuck living in it. All kinds of different food. Lots of entertainment like sports, museums, concerts, beaches, mountains, etc.
We have 1 sided feuds with other cities. SF, Portland, up in arms about LA LA, doesn't care
I love the hidden charm of Los Angeles, it also as some of the best food possibly in the world though it’s quite expensive. Great work as well. LA acks intentional community /is disenfranchised easily without quality public transit across the county and the noise pollution/heavy single use vehicle traffic is awful. I’d say go for it though. Be aware and mindful of surroundings, not worried just aware. Find indie music events and other festivals to go to for free time.
The diversity The people. LA natives are the chillest people you'll ever meet. The quality of food here is unmatched. It's expensive but not as expensive as Seattle, NYC or San Fran for what you get. The shitty clout chasing transplants usually get filtered through and move out relatively quickly. The music scene. Punk, hip hop, indie and everything in between The culture as a whole. The scenery. Especially the mountains The amount of hiking and nature opportunities People tend to leave you alone and mind their business here. The public transit isn't great but it's improving and the future looks amazing. Lots of great spaces for Queer culture.
Amazing if you have quite a bit of money. If not, it fucking sucks. Traffic, cost of living, residential parking, homelessness, crime, high ass rent.
Whatever you want, whenever you want it, it’s here.
It’s great city for young people. Tons of young people and things to do. Weather is truly amazing. Great food and nightlife. As far as the rest everyone path is different. Just go for it. Rent a room in a house as close to work as possible. You will have instant social life and network if you choose carefully and won’t spend as much on rent until you figure out the city.
In my personal experience, I've loved everything except for the trash all over the streets
I’m from here and there’s so much opportunity and so much nature so so much shopping so many people so many job opportunities and great weather
LA Since birth love it here except the trash gets annoying but everything else makes up for it
Idk perro I think all of it but I'm biased.
LA is really expensive compared to every other city in the country except SF, NY, Miami, Austin, Seattle.. That being said, when you have money LA is a blast to live in. But remember because there's so many people with money in LA, if you are average or below average, there's just so many of your peers with money or try harder or w/e that you'll go crazy trying to compare or date in LA without accepting the Ls that come with not having as much money.
Burbank is the best!
"I Love L.A...With a passion. I love Sunset. I love everything about L.A. And I just wanted to drive up and down there and look at the signs and the people. You know, the energy- That's L.A." - Tupac Pac saying this seriously helped sell the idea of moving and making a living in Los Angeles. Here I am 20 years since I moved here, and I still love it with a passion too. I bought a house here 4 years ago so I’m blessed, and definitely not leaving anytime soon if at all. LA is really what you make of it. It’s potential and opportunity being presented. Good luck to you!
i moved here from houston in january and there’s a lot to love about it! the hills and mountains are so fascinating for someone like me who grew up on flat terrain. every day i seem to run into a place i’ve seen on tv or heard about in a song or read about in a book. you will never want for shows to see, be it music, or theatre, or weird comedy. and if you get sick of city life, you’re always a stone’s throw away from some kind of peaceful nature walk. it’s also been special for me because one of my dearest friends lives here and i get to share these things with them :)
Museums - there's a ton and always new exhibitions. Civil rights. I have them here but not back home. Entertainment. Always something fun and new to do. People. Other than movie execs, above the line production people and a agents, everyone tries to live together and make the world better.
I moved to LA when I was 24. Highly recommend.
The diversity, weather, scenery, accessibility, food, options for everything, freedom and no judgement to do and be whatever you want.
I can use the street for my restroom
Endless, endless opportunities for fun and adventure. There is always something to do, something to see, and something to eat. I especially love the convenience of having access to any kind of food (actually good) or even specialty restaurants that might be a treat for others. Not a foodie by any means. Just someone who loves eating with full appreciation
That we’re all so different in our pocket and yet come together constantly for fun and support. It can feel cold and lonely we’re other times full of life. I love it.
If you’re into stuff .. La has a lot of stuff . Furniture , musical instruments, art, whatever . And so much stuff you can get for free. I barely ever have to buy anything new because of vast thrift stores and people constantly throwing out stuff if they’re moving or whatever . Also tons of interesting people. I never get bored or that cabin fever seeing same people all the time feeling I can talk to all different kinds of people every day and learn something new or get a new perspective. People from all around the world live here so there’s many cultural perspectives and also of course their food . Some of the best healthcare in the world so I have always gotten great medical attention if I need it. So many opportunities. You can fail a billion times and there will always be some way to make money. Weather obviously! Hard to be depressed when it’s a beautiful day out almost every day and the vegetation here is pretty you can grow any food pretty much amazing gardens flowers birds wildlife in abundance . Access to sea , access to mountains. I can’t leave LA it is amazing and the community colleges are awesome and not expensive can learn new things any time . Live music any night of the week if wanting to see music. Parties any night of the week if needing something social. Also huge sober community so there’s plenty of people not just drowning themselves in alcohol every weekend like some US communities do.
Genuinely good, kind, empathetic people here on average. Self care, self reflection, therapy, meditation, exercise, healthy eating, healthy lifestyles, and any exercise that you can imagine is encouraged here. You are encouraged to be the best version of yourself here in a way that I’ve never seen and on an enormous scale. The hustle is real, the struggles are real, and yes there are some bad people here, perhaps some of the worst, and you’ll need to have your eyes open and to be very honest with yourself at all times about where you are in every sense. But if you allow it, LA can help you become a stronger and kinder version of yourself. It’s completely up to you, for good or ill. Also, the social services here are probably the best in the USA. My wife was sick for a long time, and between MediCal and LA County, and Medicare, she was able to remain in our home all the way through her hospice. Our neighbors came out of the woodwork to support us in all sorts of beautiful ways. The weather ain’t bad either. Probably the most diverse city in America. Whatever weird little nerdy thing you’re into, there’s 1000s of people just as obsessed as you are.
It’s just something about the energy / vibrations out here. Hard to encapsulate with clumsy words…You just gotta be here
The music scene, the food, the weather, the women.
Definitely the diversity, both in people and in things to do and see! We’ve got food from pretty much everywhere on earth, we’re a hub of entertainment (and most musicians and tours stop here), and we’ve got sun essentially year round! I’m still a teenager, but there’s so many things to do here and so many places to go. I also love food, and I’ve grown up eating all sorts of food from so many ethnic groups. And I have so many friends who are different from me; I can learn about different cultures just within my friend group! And hey, the weather usually stays between 60-90 degrees for most of the year, which is a huge draw. Like someone else said, yes, there are plenty of bad things about LA (traffic, SO MANY PEOPLE, everything’s expensive) but there’s a lot of good things too. Hope if you end up moving here you find some of the amazing things our city has to offer :)
I love that all my friends are artist and we have a community where we support each other always. Every night one of my friends is doing something they’re involved in which is really refreshing. While this simultaneously can feel like pressure to create it’s ultimately a good thing to experience for me that I wouldn’t have to this extent anywhere else.
28 years next month. No order….. *Everything’s here, food clothes art science school. *Beach, people come from around the whole world to be here for a few days and you can literally ride down to the beach and ride on the beach bike path anytime you want. *cultures, three or four blocks from where you are could be a whole new culture. Chinese Filipino Korean Mexican Honduran El Salvadoran Brazilian white black it doesn’t matter you can go a few blocks and the whole thing can change. * Nobody really cares about what you think. You can think the worst things. The best things, the right things the wrong things. Nobody really cares that much so it it allows you to choose pick and look at many different choices without any fear of resentment.
LA is basically a smorgasbord of activities, and food. It is literally called the entertainment capital of the world.
Born and raised on the east side and my family has been here for generations, so this is home. That said, I’ve lived in other places but nothing can compare. I love the murals, diverse cultures, west coast hip hop, food—to name a few.
https://preview.redd.it/mdjguq2v4o7d1.png?width=878&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea2cab3f025438a5d4fe760fd14a2128e627a2b0 Hate New York City It's cold and it's damp And all the people dressed like monkeys Let's leave Chicago to the Eskimo That town's a little bit too rugged For you and me, you bad girl Rollin' down Imperial Highway With a big nasty redhead at my side Santa Ana winds blowin' hot from the north And we was born to ride Roll down the window, put down the top Crank up the Beach Boys, baby Don't let the music stop We're gonna ride it 'til we just can't ride it no more Look at that mountain, look at those trees Look at that bum over there, man, he's down on his knees Look at these women Ain't nothin' like 'em nowhere Century Boulevard, we love it Victory Boulevard, we love it Santa Monica Boulevard, we love it Sixth Street We love L.A.
It’s so diverse. I come from a rural midwestern area where it’s probably more than 90% white. I hear all kinds of languages and accents every day
it’s more fun than orange county
Tacos chorizo
Options
Everything
The food
Weather, Culture, People. Am tourist.
We're at capacity
Revival movie screenings.
Do yourself a favor....do NOT move to LA
kendrick lamar
Diversity
The food. I honestly hate how dirty and just the amount of crappy drivers are. I want to love LA but boy do we have some problems we tend to ignore.
Its a microcosm of the world
[1.Weather](http://1.Weather) 2. Live Music 3. Food of all kinds 4. Live Comedy 5. Excellent global connectivity, ie loads of nonstop flight to the world. 6. Beaches and parks 7. Arts and culture 8. Many inclusive communities. Your peeps are here, the challenge is finding them.
If you can, don’t be afraid to venture outside of the LA radius to look for a place to live. Commuting is a common experience when living in LA and you’re going to have to budget living out here. Best of luck on your move!
It doesn't matter how long you have lived in LA there is always something new to discover.
The beach is amazing. People hate on it but I absolutely love it.
The weather is amazing
That it’s an hour away
Hey don't forget Orange county I used to live in LA but moved to OC in 2003. Much cleaner and a little cheaper but we have all the goodies
The weather. That's all I got.
I am fourth generation Angeleno. There are few other places I’d rather be from. So proud to be from here. That being said, stay where you are. Don’t come here. It’s expensive and will never live up to your fantasy and you will likely fail. Hope this helps.
All my brown people! Viva La Raza!
The weed. Los Angeles has the best weed in the world.
I won $25k on The Price Is Right. I worked for one of Schwarzenegger's non-profits and met him twice. He is hilarious. The weather is such that I can ride my motorcycle all day every day. The food. Everywhere. The job pays pretty well so I can ride aforementioned motorcycle. The house renovations are boosting its value. Our neighbors are amazing. Dodgers The cats don't seem to mind either. Our orange tree in the backyard. People love to visit. Disney Magic Key gets me in Thursday nights. EV charging infrastructure is growing.
I moved here from a small town when I graduated from high school in 84. I love the anonymity of the city. When you go out, you won’t see the same person twice so there’s a freedom in that. In my small town, it was a fishbowl and everybody knew everybody that sucked. There’s also a lot more opportunity here, a lot of jobs, though the cost of living is high. It may take you a few years to adjust to LA culture but you won’t regret it.
Christmas time. When all the transplants go back home the streets are beautiful
I sat next to Danny DeVito at Arts deli the other day and it felt totally normal.
A lot of women to choose from
LA has 100s of diverse sections of every economic scale, race, to fashion, to cultural centers to music to eats to events. It’s endless. LA is hard to define as it means something to everyone differently. It’s layered upon layered. For those who hate it are ones who don’t understand it. My recommendation is find an area that fits you best, because if you just drop into any spot, it may not speak to you and your experience might be negative. There is literally a spot for anyone if they take the effort to find it. Some don’t.
I love the weather.
Nothing. Pretty mountains ( when you can see them) but too damn many people in too small an area. You can't get away from anyone. It's like that Sci-Fi episode when the couple was alone in a room, but there were thousands all around the room at the end.
there’s always something to do! every single day! wine tastings, pottery classes, meetups at hikes, etc. it’s pushed me more out of my comfort zone since i didn’t have the comfort of knowing anything through school or work/structural environments. i’ve wanted to live here since i was a kid, so i’m living my dream!
It’s not just the city itself. It’s the whole greater metropolitan area that includes the surrounding cities. There’s tons of diversity in terms of food, culture, and geography.
LA is great for people in their 20s. Go for it, you will not regret it. It is unlike any place you could ever live.
The food, the diversity, the beaches, the mountain cities (esp when snowing). its the cultural epicenter of the world.
You can find and do pretty much anything you want within an hour drive
Yo mama!
The strand from Hermosa pier to Gladstones, if you enjoy recreation.
a density of things to see and do that is unmatched anywhere in the US besides NYC
There's something for everyone in LA, you could probably get anything you want or need at any point in time within a 30 minute drive of wherever you are.
The weather is nice
This city is so vast that just the city alone has two times more people than the state of Utah. There are many cities within the city. I have lived all over LA. Every neighborhood is different. Mid-Wilshire was a great neighborhood to start with. Everything is here. You just have to find where you fit in.
Mountains, amazing weather in winter (rainy and chilly, but very pretty). We got food choices. 2 Hour drive and you can be either in pure desert, amazing Sierra Nevada mountains, the coast. There's all kinds of opportunity here, just need to plant your root and work your way up. But it all costs a lot. And there will be traffic. And it will have it's own problems.
If you only want to hear positive things and not the reality of living here then you're going to have a really bad time.
Food and weather